Printing plate clamping mechanism



Aug. 4, 1936. F. LAMATSCH PRINTING PLATE CLAMPING MECHANISM Filed NOV. 17, 1934 Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNHTED smiiilfva PRINTING mfr-n :CLAil/inriacea/nicnmxiisluy f -jf-l This invention inlgeneralrelates toplate clamp-V,` ing mechanism havingfor itsfobjectfthevprovi-w sion of certain desiredim'provements ,in mechanism of the charactrvindicatedthatvlwilbper--i mit the individuall adjustment::orfremoval' oigy one of a pair fofprintingL-plates' is'ecuredctofxa form cylinder, "Withoutdisturbingithefposition 'orfadjustment ofthe-"otherplate:L Another object is fte"- provide a'fplate' clampmg mechanism particularly designed. and f adaptedftof; eiect a more convenient and expeditious adjustment of printing plates on'acylin'der.' i It is also lanllbject'ofthe inventionftoprovde. a plate clampingA 'mechanism ifof.; printing;mai1`r chines, of "generally, improved. i construction-1; whereby the device. :Will be 'simple'; ldurableand' inexpensive in construction, aswell as convenient;y practical;serviceablel and eicientinzitszuse. With'stheifforegoing and".y other objects in vieW which Will appear as the description proc'eeds;the invention: lresides sin: x thev @combination andi. arrangement of f parts,v fand/in :the details. or :con-r struction hereinafterfdesribedrand claimed. f The 4preferred embodiment ofithesinvention; illustrated in; the accompanying 'c'lnaW-irig,A

1n: Figur isza ragmentarylongitudinalgsectl al View; ofv affform'roylinderetowhich: an 'embodiL-,r menty of the inventionahasgbeen applied; andn show'in'gaa pairrloff plates` operatively clamped byg same to the said cylinder; 1:: .;f- Figure 1;; 2:? isg; a f view., similar. to Figure 1; but sll'ovving` the. plates ,linnnclavmped 'positionuion reav movalor adjustmentxi'f Figure 3;,isa1iragmentary top; pla View offtlfle.y cylinderlwithzthe clampingmembers randrcco, ting;v elements removed'fromithegrooveyf; -aligure his: an :e111@breedsfragrne.ntaryl longl uf,- dinal sectional view,-r yofycertain portions ofylthe f deyiceshownzin Eigurer 1,-; fandn .:Figure 5 ;isa;fragmentaryetransverse; sectional@ VArppn@mail,fisimkfnsefiv, 1534 serial Naf, 753,448

stopor V xed abutmentwagainst which athez, adj a.- s cent ends off a pairof printing :plates ,PgsrPf 'areengaged; `vvllile `the* outer and inner clips al 6rv and] 82, respectively are slidably ymounted 'inthein respecgf z' tivefportions off the f'grooven The sides-'aref' they groove l 2', arefprovided rwith` .guides-,orfcharinel'szy luwloic'hk .receive laterally extendinga'f ianges,LoreA ribs 2l on each of the clips. Communicatin'gqwith the widened kportions yofthe groove are .passage- Ways .or channels 22, 23, 4the said Vwidenedportions@l andfpassageways accommodating a"r rod or. {mem-e ber2llfthreadedlyengagedV th the .inner clip :|81 mentioned abovexvf r .2 11" l 1 A threaded sleeve 25 arrangedV in .theuwlde portion; lf3k of i-thelgroove and encircling: the'rod 15U" 2.4,;fis1--journalled 1' at one end-y `in fa. plate ori cap;f2: fastened to an end =o`f the cylinden/thejsaid sleeve. having i an operating yhead 2l .protruding exterior-d lyiy ofthe said :capiv .f'heasleevel 25' is threadedlyf engaged with'the outer-Lzclipf Ifandsfi'sfnorrnally, heldfv against axial: movement` infone direc't'i'onibyfv an",` annularilange: 28T adaptedito Je'ng'ageagainst. tneinnerfsurfac of fthe plate 26, andi in:another;y directionby` 'a' collar 1229 A adjustably` fastened@A to f, therod f2 land vnormallyabutting l"al ledge r-fraised p'ortionof theiio'orfof the' groove I2. Thefthreadsi ed.l :rod 1 24,1 as; above.v indicated, is extended out# War-'dlylI through. thefsleevef25 Whereinit fisl freely,` rotatabldfand has 'a comparatively small operati?v ingfhead 3l protruded' beyond ando'ut ofy theOjIJer--Lr ating/head a2l.so that vrthe lsleevev25 and ,tl'lefrod 24 may bev manipulated:independently ofveaclrV other, bytheinrespective operatingy headssfZl and 3l,\-for;.gthe selectivefand independent actuation' tl; Ecollanz!! eld Iloew/een @nella fof. ,thesleeve tci,ef-passaeewayfhi f s the inner ip I8 will be slid in the adjacent portion l5 of the groove l2 to thrust the plate P against or free same for movement away from the abutment block or clip ll, thus locking said plate P to the cylinder or permitting its removal or adjustment without disturbing the outer plate. Likewise, when the sleeve 25 is turned, the outer clip l@ threadedly secured thereto will thrust the plate P aga-inst'or free same from the abutment Il in both cases, it will be observed that either the inner or outer plate can be removedVor adjusted independently of and without disturbing the other.

The function and manner of operation has been in large measure indicated above, but may be summarized as follows:

Assuming it is desired to clamp a pair of printing plates to the cylinder Il, a suitable socket Wrench will be applied to the operating heads 21, 3| of the sleeve and rod 25, 2li in order to move the clips IS and i8 sufficiently away from the abutment to conveniently accommodate the plates P, P', the inner and outer bevelled edges of the said plates Pand P being engaged against the registering bevelled edges of the abutment clip Il. direction by the same operating means to lock the said printing plates securely on the cylinder and against the abutment.

When desired, both clips l@ and l may be simultaneously moved by a single wrench having a double socket at one end which will engage both operating heads at once, thus permitting theV simultaneous locking or unlocking of the outer and inner printing plates.

When required, plates of different sizes may be substituted for the plates P, P shown in Figures 1 and 2. For example, the inner plate P may be replaced by a plate of less width, in which case vthe clip I8 will first be moved to the right, in order to release the old plate P. When the old plate P has been removed and the new width plate located, the clip I3 will be returned to its original position and into plate clamping engagement with the right hand end of the new plate. I'he abutment Il, which previously was released by loosening the collars 32-33, is then returned to a position of operative engagement with the left hand end of the new width plate substituted The other plate P is next thrust into engagement with the abutment l? in its altered position, and the'clip IS moved into engagement with the outer end of Vthe said plate P.

In a somewhat similar manner, the outer plate P may be replaced by another plate of greater or less width, but in thisV latter case, the abutment I1 is not moved, the clip lil being merely moved sufficiently further to the right or left to engage the outer end of the plate substituted for the plate P.

The preceding explanation, will indicate the procedure to be followed when both plates P, P are to be replaced by plates of diierent widths, it being observed that, as a general rule, the clip I8 will be returned to substantially the position best shown in Figure 1, in order that the inner margin ofthe printed page may be uniform and of'. the customary width.`

It will be noted that by means of the present design and construction, a single groove serves to accommodate a threaded rod and its coaxial sleeve, so arranged and coordinated that a plurality of clips may be actuated to engage with or be disengaged from a pair of printing plates mounted on a support or independently secured, removed The clips are next moved in the opposite or adjusted without aiecting the position or adjustment of the other plate.

Those versed in the art will understand that the drawings show a portion of a conventional form of cylinder such as is used in newspaper printing machines, wherein four plates are arranged longitudinally of the cylinder and two plates around the cylinder. Thus, the inner clip i8 is substantially in the center, and the complete cylinder would carry two plates to the right of this clip as well as two to the left, as shown. When changing from plates of the dimension shown to narrower plates, it is, of course, necessary to maintain the margin space between all plates substantially unchanged, hence the provision for shifting the abutment clip I1 and also the outer clip i6. It will also be understood that in accordance with the usual practice, a plurality of clips with their adjusting mechanism are usually provided for each pair of plates, these clips and their mechanism being arranged circumferentially of the cylinder.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specic forms without departing from the spirit' or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a form cylinder, a plate clamping mechanism adapted to clamp a plurality of plates positioned in a longitudinal line on said cylinder, a

plate clip adapted to hold adjacent edges of said moving either of said clamps to engage a printing plate with or disengage same from said abutment.

3. Ina plate lookup mechanism, the combi-- nation of a plate support, a groove arrangedv in said plate support, an abutment plate clip for engaging side edges of two plates and normally held in xed position within said groove but movable to various positions therein when desired, -a pair of adjustable plate clips slidably mounted within said groove for engaging said plates on side edges opposite the side edges engaged by the abutment clip, and a pair of manually operable members in the groove threadedly connected to said adjustable plate clips for selectively actuating either of said adjustable plate clips without disturbing any other plate clip.

4. In a locking mechanism of the character described, the combination of a plate support, a groove arrangedV in said support, a plurality of plate clips operatively arranged within said groove, one of said plate clips being normally l held in a Xed position `substantially central of said groove, a pair of said clips adjustably mounted within the groove, and a plurality of means.

arranged in the groove, one within the other, for

selectively actuating either of said plate clips Without disturbing the other.

5. In a plate locking mechanism of the character described, the combination of a cylinder adapted to operatively support a plurality of printing plates, a groove in said cylinder extending longitudinally thereof, a pair of plate clips slidably mounted at either end of said groove, an abutment secured in the center of said groove, a tubular member Within the groove for adjusting one of the slidable plate clips, and means extending through the tubular member and threadedly engaged with another of the plate clips, whereby either of the pair of plate clips may be selectively actuated to move a printing plate against or free same from the abutment without disturbing the position or adjustment of another plate engaged against the said'abutmen't.

6. In a plate lookup mechanism of the character described, the combination of a cylinder adapted to support a plurality of printing plates, a groove in said cylinder, a plurality of plate clips arranged in spaced relation in said groove, a plurality of members in the groove and threadedly engaged with the outermost and innermost of said plate clips for selectively operating the same, another clip in the groove normally serving as a fixed abutment for a pair of printing plates but adjustable to various predetermined positions when desired, means for preventing translational movement of one of said threaded members but permitting the rotation of same within the other of the threaded members, and means secured to an exterior end of each of the threaded members for selectively actuating either independently of the other.

7. In a plate lockup mechanism, the combination of a cylinder having a groove, a rod rotatably mounted in the groove, a plate abutment wherein said rod is freely rotatable, a clip threadedly mounted on an inner end of the rod, a sleeve encircling the rod, a second clip threadedly mounted on the sleeve and positioned adjacent an outer end of the cylinder, means for turning the sleeve and rod independently of each other, and means for preventing translational movement of the abutment relatively to the rod, said groove extending beyond the inner clip, whereby printing plates of various sizes may be accommodated on the cylinder and engaged and disengaged by the said clips.

8. In a plate lookup mechanism, the combination of a cylinder, a longitudinally extending groove in said cylinder, a member arranged in the groove, a plurality of widened portions formed in the groove, a corresponding plurality of plate clips arranged in said widened portions, one of said clips serving as an abutment for a pair of printing plates, a sleeve freely rotatable Von sai-d member, a clip threadedly engaged with said sleeve, means for preventing translational movement of the sleeve relatively to the member, other means for preventing translational movement of the abutment clip relatively to the member, and manually operable means protruding exteriorly of the cylinder and engaged with said rod and sleeve whereby either of said clips may be adjusted independently of the other to engage or disengage an adjacent plate independently of the other plate.

9. In a plate lookup mechanism, the combination of a plate support, a groove in said support, athreaded member arranged Within the groove, a plate abutment on the member, a sleeve freely rotatable on said member but normally secured against translational movement relatively thereto, a clip threadedly engaged with the sleeve, a second clip threadedly engaged with the member, means for adjustably fastening the abutment in various predetermined positions on the member, and means on said member and sleeve for actuating same to move the said clips independently into and out of operative engagement with their adjacent plates.

10. In a plate lookup mechanism, the combination of a plate support, a groove arranged in said support, a plurality of plate clips operatively arranged in the groove, a member positioned within the groove, an abutment mounted on the member and adjustable to various positions thereon, a tubular member rotatably mounted on the rst mentioned member, means for preventing movement of the tubular memberA axially of the first mentioned member, a plate clip threadedly engaged with the tubular member, a second plate clip threadedly engaged with the rst `member, and means for independently actuating the rst mentioned member and tubular member whereby either of said plate clips may be selectively moved in diametrically opposite directions to lock an adjacent printing plate on the support and against the abutment clip, and to free said printing plate when Vdesired.

FREDERICK LAMATSCH. 

